Wales: May 2006 Report

Opportunities for Young Welsh Brass Musicians

Photo: Ty Cerdd-Music Centre Wales
(Charlotte Griffin)

The Welsh Amateur Music Federation formed the National Youth Brass Band in 1982 in response to the need for a national youth ensemble that would both develop and showcase the best of Welsh brass players. Since then the Band has commissioned some thirty major new works, and is currently preparing for its 25th anniversary in 2007 with a tour to Canada.

Many of the players have also been members of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales, which, as the oldest national youth orchestra in Europe, celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2006.

In 2001, as the result of a major lottery grant, the Federation formed National Youth Jazz Wales under the aegis of National Youth Arts Wales-a partnership between the Federation and the Welsh Joint Education Committee which brings together all the national youth music ensembles, including the National Youth Choir of Wales, together with National Youth Theatre and Dance.

The National Youth Wind Orchestra of Wales followed in 2002, which, with the addition of National Youth Symphonic Brass Wales in 2003, provides a huge range of opportunities for young Welsh brass musicians. All the ensembles regularly commission new music, which is added to the growing library of scores available to school, county and community groups throughout Wales.

Opportunities are also available to bring the various ensembles together for auditions and workshops. This involved a percussion workshop for players from all the ensembles in January, and a "Jazz Experience" two-day workshop in February.

The fact that all the ensembles come under the same umbrella body-albeit itself a partnership between two organisations-has provided the opportunity of working toward consistency in provision, expectations, and lobbying. Uniquely, the partnership has facilitated liaison on behalf of all the Welsh national youth arts ensembles with all the local education authorities, amateur music societies, the Arts Council of Wales, and the Welsh Assembly Government. This is particularly important at a time when funding for music in education and the arts in general is not a priority for all devolved governments.

Just over a year ago, in November 2004, National Youth Symphonic Brass opened the prestigious Wales Millennium Centre with the fanfare, Dolbadarn. On St David's Day, 1 March 2006, the ensemble, directed by Professor James Watson, undertook perhaps the best form of political lobbying, by performing a second specially commissioned fanfare to open the new Welsh Assembly Senedd building in Cardiff Bay.

Keith Griffin
Director